Either you’ve stumbled upon a half eaten Begonia in your outdoor or indoor garden, or you’re looking to feed a few bits of your favorite Begonia to your fluffy friend….
Either way, do rabbits eat Begonias? Will they eat them? Are Begonias toxic to rabbits?!
Rabbits are known for viciously attacking and devouring flower gardens with a taste for many different varieties (sometimes quite expensive!). They can also be quite hard to control, especially if you have a delicious tropical garden within a warm growing zone!
Do Rabbits Eat Begonias? Will They Destroy My Flowerbed?
Rabbits will eat Begonias to some extent. Begonias aren’t exactly a lush field of young and tender Alfalfa, so they’re by no means a favorite plant among the four legged hoppers. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, each rabbit has a very unique palate from from the next bunny. What one rabbit loves, the next might turn his or her nose up to. If you are having issues with rabbits in your flower bed, you might find that other plants are being consumed first; then the begonias begin to dwindle in size later. If your flowerbed is being destroyed by wild cottontails or hares, you should probably try to keep the rabbits away from your landscaping to protect it from being eaten. In some cases, you might notice that your Begonias are only being consumed during drought or during the hot summer season. This could indicate a shortage of food among the rabbits, or a high population of wild hares and cottontails. If this concerns you, you could always plant rabbit-friendly crops by surface sowing and watering daily; this will give the rabbits a delicious natural food menu, allowing you to treasure your plants in peace.
Are Begonias Toxic for Rabbits?
Begonias are listed as being toxic for rabbit consumption. Therefore, if you have pet or meat rabbits, I strongly advise against giving them any part of the Begonia plant. Toxins could build up within the rabbit’s organ systems, potentially causing damage. I could not find exact specifics on rabbit poisoning via Begonias, but this could be due to several reasons:
- There may not have been enough evidence of poisoned wild rabbits to encourage a study to be performed; they are also prey animals, and weak, dying, or dead animals are quickly hunted or scavenged by many species.
- Wild rabbits know to avoid toxic plants; they will not touch highly toxic ones, but may nibble lower toxicity plants in small amounts during times of drought or starvation.
- Begonias are a tropical plant species, and cannot be grown in many parts of the world, reducing the incidence of occurrence.
- Even in in areas where Begonia must be kept indoors among pet rabbits, many rabbit owners do not think to feed their rabbits any of the Begonia plant. If ingestion occurs, it is usually accidental; whether it is known, or unknown.
With that being said, I advise keeping Begonias out of reach and away from your rabbits. This way, you can avoid any potential poisonings from occurring. It is always better to be safe rather than sorry!
Rabbit Ate Begonias: Will It Die? What Symptoms to Look For?
If your rabbit ate some Begonias, you might be freaking out right now; however, I could not find a direct source that states that Begonias are lethal. I did find that they can be toxic, but I personally believe that Begonias may be a lower toxicity plant for rabbits. In my research, I found many firsthand accounts of people whose pet rabbits had snacked on a Begonias plant, but showed little to no symptoms after ingestion. I doubt your rabbit would die from ingesting a few leaves; however, a large section of the plant could be a problem. I believe that, unless your rabbit is absolutely starving, that it will not make an entire meal of this plant. But no matter how much of your Begonias that your rabbit eats, you must keep a constant eye on your rabbit for 24 hours. Watch for some of the classic symptoms of poisoning below (these are generalized symptoms of poisoning to watch for, not symptoms of Begonia poisoning in particular), and take your rabbit to a trusted small animal veterinarian immediately if you think your rabbit is beginning to show any symptoms.
- Rabbit stops eating/refuses favorite foods
- Begins drinking far too much or far too little
- Loses weight
- Acts listless, uninterested, tired, or fatigued
- Rapid breathing or labored breathing
- Discharge from nose, eyes, ears, or mouth (such as foaming or drooling)
- Loss of proper skin color or body temperature
- Acting “drunk”; loss of balance, unable to hop or walk properly
- Additional neurological symptoms, such as seizures
- Diarrhea
- Pain or inflammation